Gotham High
by Demented Clown
Summary: Rose is new to Gotham. When she starts at Gotham High School, she meets some of todays most popular rogues. Summary sucks, but the story's better, I promise. Maybe some OCxJoker, I dunno.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello! I'm starting another story! This one is just a boring old school story, but I shall make it awesome! But anyway, the chapter titles are all song that I think describe the chapter, but if you haven't heard them, it won't matter that much. Sadly, I couldn't think of a song for this chapter, but if you have any ideas, let me know.**

I stepped onto the bus as the doors swung open. I climbed over legs and backpacks to plunk myself down on a seat in the back of the bus. Just as the doors were beginning to close, a tall kid in a purple shirt and dark green jeans stopped it with his hand, not seeming to care that his fingers had almost been crushed. He strode nonchalantly towards me and flopped down next to me, stretching his legs out like he owned the place. I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye, wondering who this kid was.

He caught me looking at him and smirked. "Well well, what have we here? You seem... different."

"I just moved here," I said, trying not to glare at him.

"Ah-huh," he said. "And you are...?"

"Rose," I muttered, hating the sound of my own name.

"Rose," he repeated. "Huh."

"What about you, huh? Who're you?"

He smirked again. "Jack Napier, at your service," he joked, faking a bow. I scowled. I could tell he was going to be a thorn in my side all year.  
The bus pulled to a stop, opening the door for a scrawny kid to climb on. He had dark, curly hair, thick square glasses, and an even thicker book in his hand. A couple kids snickered an called out things like, "Whatcha got there Scarecrow? 'Dating for nerds?'" **(A/N: I know, I suck at insults)** The kid they had just called "Scarecrow" ducked is head and continued on to find a seat near the back. He ended up sitting in the seat in front of me, burying his nose into the book.  
I reached over and tapped his shoulder. He turned and looked at me with his wide blue eyes.

"Hi. I'm Rose," I said, smiling at him.

"Hello Rose. I'm Jonathan." He had a very formal tone, but a small smile played on his lips.

"Why do you let them tease you like that?" I asked, motioning at the group of kids.

He shrugged. "There's really no point in trying to stop them. They're pitiful minds see it as a sign of superiority, so they try to make others feel inferior. It's just a power play of sorts." I nodded, understanding his meaning but not seeing the point.  
"But why do you let them? I get why they do it, but you shouldn't just let them."

He shrugged again, not seeming to get it. I sighed and sat back in my seat. Jack smirked again.

"Why do you keep doing that?" I asked him angrily.

"Doing what?" he asked innocently.

"Smirking! It's annoying."

He didn't respond, but instead changed the subject. "So are you able to handle Jonny Boy's logic?" he asked, turning to me. "Honestly, I think he's a bit of a prick, but, uh, everyone's different."

"Well, I think he's nice. At least he doesn't act like he's all that," I retorted, looking pointedly at Jack.

He didn't seem to notice this, and leaned back again. I sighed, just as the bus pulled up in front of the school. It was going to be a long year.

* * *

I stood at the front desk, waiting for my schedule. The receptionist presently returned and handed me a piece of paper.

"Now, I recommend that you find someone to walk to your classes with you. A new school can be a scary place." She smiled and looked down at me like I was a child.

I didn't even bother saying thank you, but turned around and left.  
I looked at the numbers at the top of my schedule: my locker number and combination. I navigated my way to the small locker and spun the lock. The door swung open and I dumped my jacket into the bottom. I slammed it shut, then glanced at the schedule. First period was English with Mr. Travisano. It was in room 251, so I continued down the hall.

As soon as I entered the classroom, I wanted to turn around and leave. Jack was sitting in the back, talking to some kid wearing a hat with a question mark on it. I tried to sneak into a seat without them noticing, but Mr. Travisano called, "Ah! You must be the new student, Rose." I wanted to crawl in a hole and die, but I smiled and nodded.

"Excellent. Why don't you tell us about yourself, Rose."

I turned to face the class, only to see none other than Jack Napier staring at me.  
I cleared my throat and looked around. "Well, um, I'm Rose. I just moved from California, and... I like donuts," I finished lamely. I sat back down and tried to ignore Jack, who was still staring at me. Ignoring him didn't seem to be working, so I turned and stared back at him. He smirked and waved at me. I shook my head. I just didn't get this kid.

His friend threw something at me and it landed in my lap. As I picked it up, I saw it was a ball of paper. I opened it and read the words scrawled across the page:

_Riddle me this, Rose. What goes up white and comes down yellow and white?_

I wrote back: _Umm, I dunno. What?_

I tossed the paper back to him. He opened it and a slow grin spread across his face. He scribbled something then threw the note to me. It read: 'An egg. Get it?'

I smiled slightly. 'Here, I got one. What's black & white and full of pigs?'

He caught the note when I threw it, just as the bell rang, marking the end of class. As I was leaving, I heard him call out, "Rose!"

"Yeah?" I said, turning.

"A cop car," he grinned, before leaving for his next class.

**Whatcha think? I'm sorry if the format is screwed up, but I'm uploading this from my Ipod. Sooo, I don't own anything, except my OC, and I hoped you enjoyed the first chapter. Oh, and I didn't make up those riddles. I found them on the internet, and the Riddler _did_ say them. Ciao!**


	2. Chapter 2: Headstrong

**This chapter is named after the song "Headstrong" by Trapt. Hope you like it. Don't own anything except my oc. Have fun reading! **

Chapter 2: Headstrong

I glanced around the busy lunchroom, wondering where to sit. I spotted Jack's friend sitting near Jonathan and made my way over to them.

"Hello, boys," I said, setting down the plastic tray in my hands.

"Hey Rosie," the kid said.

"Don't call me that. Speaking of which, what do I call you? I don't know your name."

He grinned. "The name's Eddie Nashton. Sorry I didn't introduce myself earlier, it completely slipped my mind."

"It's fine," I assured him, opening the plastic packaging over what I thought was a salad of some kind. "Is the food usually this..."

"Unrecognizable? Yeah, it is. I got a pizza once that looked like spaghetti. So, don't get the pizzas."

I laughed. He was genuinely funny without trying. "So, what's your next class?"

"Uhh..." he muttered, studying his schedule. "Free period. I didn't choose an elective so I get to do homework for an hour," he said sarcastically.

"Oh. I have psychology as my elective."

"So does Jonny. Birds of a feather, huh?"

Jonathan looked up from his book. "Don't call me Jonny," he said, frowning slightly.

"Aw, lighten up Jonny," he laughed. "You're always so serious."

"Why so serious, Jonny Boy?" a new voice asked. I turned to see -you guessed it- Jack standing behind me, sporting his usual smirk.

"Jack," Jonathan muttered. "What do you want now?"

"Ah, don't be like that! I just, uh, wanna talk."

"C'mon, Jack. Leave him alone. I think we've tormented him enough for one day," Eddie jumped in.

"We haven't been tormenting him, have we Jonny?" Jack asked, sitting down across from him.

"Jack-"

"Shut up, Eddie. I wanna hear Jonny Boy's answer," he interrupted, licking his lips.

"Oh, for chrissakes, leave him alone!" I butted in, standing up. They all looked at me.

"Looks like someone's got a little crush, huh?" Jack said, focusing his attention on me. Jonathan blushed and stared down at his hands.

"I don't have a crush on Jonathan," I sighed. "I just don't like watching him get picked on."

"Ah-huh. And, uh, why is that Rose?" he said, licking his lips again.

"What's it to you?" I snapped.

"Rose. Calm down," Eddie said quietly.

"No! I want to know why he cares about-"

"Rose, will you shut the fuck up?" he said angrily. I instantly closed my mouth. "Thank you. Look, Jack, lay off Jonny, okay? You're probably scaring the crap out of the poor kid."

Jack glared at him for a moment, then shrugged, turning to leave. "Screw this," I heard him mutter under his breath. I stared at his back as he walked away. What had just happened?

**Ooh, confrontation, swearing, horrible cafeteria food! Please review, I wanna know how I'm doing. **


	3. Chapter 3: Trouble

**Lame chapter. Pretty much just background stuff. Song: "Troublemaker" by Weezer/"Trouble" by P!nk. I don't really like these songs, but I think they fit. Please review, I want to know how I'm doing. Thanks to anyone who did review or favorite this story. Please enjoy chapter 3!**

I found a seat near the back and motioned for him to sit next to me.  
Jonathan looked at me out of the corner of his eye. "Thanks," he said quietly, looking away.

"For what?"

"For... Standing up for me. Eddie tries sometimes, but he kind of gives up after a while. There really is no point rationalizing with Jack. He just changes the subject, or turns your words around on you."

I sighed. "I've noticed. Is he always like that?"

Jonathan frowned. "Yes and no. Jack has a somewhat split personality. Sometimes he's really happy and easygoing, and other times, he can be really moody. And trust me, when he's in a bad mood, you don't want to make him mad." He shrugged. "I've gotten used to it, and after a while so will you."

_I hope so_, I thought, turning my attention to the teacher as the bell rang.  
The class turned out to be more interesting than I had expected. Most of the class was spent talking about how to identify common mental disorders. It was quite fascinating. Jonathan seemed particularly good at it. I was impressed with how much he knew about this stuff.  
When the bell rang, Jonathan and I parted ways and headed in opposite directions.

My next class was algebra. I sat down, again in the back, and watched the others file in slowly. Jack came in last, looked around for empty seats, saw there were none and sat down next to me.

"Heya Rosie," he said, licking his lips. I grimaced.

"Don't call me that."

"Whatever you say Rosie."

I always found algebra particularly difficult, but then again, I wasn't good at math. I stared blankly at the worksheet in front of me, wondering where to begin.  
Meanwhile, Jack was scribbling furiously on the page. He sat back to admire his handiwork, then began to tilt back in his chair.

"You're finished?" I asked, looking at the completed problems.

He nodded. "It's easy. You don't get it?"

"Well, only one problem," I lied. "But it's fine, I'll figure it out."

He shrugged and began to throw his pencil at the ceiling, aiming for the tiny holes in the tiles.

"Why are you doing that?"

He glanced at me, then threw his pencil again. "I'm bored. Hey, wanna see a magic trick?"

"Um, no."

"Aw, c'mon, you'll like it." He grinned.

"Fine, but hurry up." He smiled slowly and caught his pencil.

"Okay, I'm gonna make this pencil-"

"Mr. Napier and Ms. Donovan, would you like to share with the class what is so interesting?" Mr. Moore asked.

Jack looked like he wanted to say something, but I pinched his arm and glared at him.

"Nothing, Mr. Moore. We were talking about the math," I said politely. Jack huffed and slouched down in his chair, frowning.

"Good. Let's keep it that way, shall we? Now, your homework is problems 1 through 22 on page 115," he continued, writing the problems on the board. I copied the assignment down into my notebook, while Jack tried to get his pencil to stand up.

"Ta-da!" he sang, gesturing at the perfectly balanced pencil.

"Was that your magic trick?" I asked, unimpressed.

"Nope. But we don't have time for that now. Some other time," he said, glancing at the clock.

"Yeah, sure," I said, gathering my belongings and hoisting my backpack over my shoulder. The final bell rang and I made my way outside.

* * *

I clambered off the bus when I reached my stop, waving goodbye to Eddie and Jonathan.

I heard quiet footsteps behind me and turned to see who it was. Jack was there, a few yards behind me.

"Are you following me or something?" I called to him.

"No," he called back. "I live down there. In the house at the end. Whaddya think I am, some kind of creeper? "

"Oh," I mumbled, ashamed that I had assumed he was following me. "Never mind." I slowed my pace, allowing him to catch up to me. He fell in line with me, keeping my pace.

"I like your hair," he said, fingering one of the bright red curls. "What color is it normally?"

"Brown. That's why I dye it. I think it's boring." I unconsciously jerked my head away, and he lowered his hand.

We walked in silence for a bit. I looked over at him and saw him staring off into space.

"So..."

"So what?"

"I dunno. What's your favorite color?"

"Green I guess. Or purple. Either way, I someone has to make the "Barney" joke. That's how u got suspended the first three times."

I didn't know what to say. Suspended? Three times? But even more unbelievable was that Jack got teased.

"Sorry," I whispered.

Jack looked at me quizzically. "For what?"

"I... Nothing. Never mind," I muttered, looking at the ground.

We walked the rest of the way in silence.

"Well, this is my house," I mumbled, pointing at the white house in front of us. He nodded, saluted me sarcastically, and continued on his way. I watched him walk away, then unlocked the door to my own house and went in.

* * *

"How was school honey?" my mom asked, coming home a couple hours later.

"Fine," I answered, turning down the volume on my mp3 player.

"Just fine? Did you make any new friends?" she asked, kicking off her heels and sitting on the edge of my bed.

"I guess." I looked up at my mom. She was staring at me, her blue eyes filled with concern.

"You should be nicer to people, honey. If you want to make friends you have to-"

"Mom, I do have some friends. Even if I didn't it doesn't matter. I'm perfectly happy by myself."

"But it's not healthy to be all alone. The brain needs human contact." I rolled my eyes. That had been her excuse for years.

"And I do have human contact. I talk to you, I talk to Dad. What else do you want from me?"

She frowned. "Well, for starters, you could be a little nicer to your father."

"Why should I? He hasn't done anything for me." My mom sighed, kissed me on the top of my head, and left to change out of her work clothes.

I turned back to my silver laptop, checking the school website. I moved my mouse over the newspaper icon and clicked it. In the search bar I typed "Jack Napier."  
Instantly, the page flooded with words. I skimmed through the headlines:

"Student sets fire to gym."  
"Jack Napier suspended- again."  
"Schoolyard riots become a problem."  
"Ninth grader causes mayhem."

The list went on and on. I didn't understand how this natural troublemaker hadn't been expelled. He'd been suspended -apparently more than three times-, burned down parts of the school, and caused mass mayhem. How was he still there and not in Juvie?

I heard a knock at the door and quickly closed the tab. "Come in," I called.

My mom opened the door. "Phone. For you," she said, tossing the landline at me.

I picked it up and answered it. "Hello?"

"Heyy, Rosie! How's school going?" my dad asked in his overly cheery voice.

"Fine," I answered stiffly."Where are you?"

"We just landed in Japan. I'll send you a souvenir, if you want." My dad was a fancy schmancy businessman. He was always traveling to exotic places and trying to buy my love with expensive gifts. He hadn't lived with us since I was nine, when he and mom had gotten the divorce.

"Whatever."

There was a pause. "Did you make any friends at school?" he asked hesitantly.

"Yeah."

"Oh really? Who?"

"Just some kids. Jack, Eddie, and Jonathan." I inspected my fingernails, not wanting to think about the conversation.

"Oh. All boys again?" he asked, disappointed.

"Yeah, so?"

"Sweetie, you need to have some girl friends. It's unnatural for you not to."

I groaned. Here we go again. "Dad, I know what you're thinking, and I'm not gay."

"I'm not saying you are! I just think it's strange."

"Whatever."

"But... Sweetie, I want you to know that no matter what you turn out like, I still love and support you."

"Do you wanna talk to mom?" I had to end this before it got any worse.

There was a silence. "Sure sweetie. Why don't you go get her?"

"Mom, Dad wants to talk to you!" I yelled.

My mother rushed in and took the phone from me. "Don't yell." She frowned down at me, her mousy brown hair falling in front of her face. "Hello? Richard?" she said, holding the phone to her ear. "Yes, I know," she said, smoothing her skirt over her legs. "Okay, sure."  
She walked absentmindedly out of my room, listening to my dad talk on the other end.  
I clicked to Google on my computer and looked up Gotham High. Tons of articles flashed on the screen, mostly course descriptions and things like that. But one article from an online newspaper caught my eye:

"John Arkham buys Gotham High school. Daughter Elizabeth was appointed as the school therapist weeks later and is still..."  
The rest of the article was on the full website but I didn't bother checking it. John Arkham... Where had I heard that name?  
I turned off my computer and flopped back on my bright purple pillows, sighing. John Arkham, Jack Napier, Richard Donovan- the names swam before my eyes until the room faded into blackness.

* * *

My alarm clock beeped loudly, waking me from my dreamless sleep. I looked at the time: 7:55. I had to get up _NOW_ if I didn't want to be late for the bus.

I had fallen asleep in my clothes, and hadn't had a chance to eat dinner... Or shower.  
I changed into a fresh T-shirt that said "Save The Humans" across it in red letters. I grabbed a pair of grey jeans and threw them on. I ran my fingers through my hair and ran downstairs to find something to eat.

My mom had already left for work, so I threw a pop tart in the toaster and poured a glass of coke. I know, not the healthiest breakfast, but I didn't feel like making real toast with milk.  
I snatched the pop tarts, chugged the milk, and made my way to the bus stop. Jack had beat me there this time, and I came to stand next to him, finishing my breakfast.

He smirked. "Don't your parents feed you?"

"Ma' left 'or work," I said with my mouth full. Jack snickered.

"Gross."

"Sorry," I said, swallowing.

"I like your shirt so you're forgiven."

"Gee, thanks."

The bus arrived then, opening the doors to let us climb in. We took our seats in the back and started talking about random stuff- music, movies, books that we had never read and didn't plan to. It was nice.  
_I guess this is the easygoing Jack_, I thought to myself. I kind of liked seeing him like this. Maybe he'd stay like this all day.  
No such luck.


	4. Chapter 4: Riot

**Sorry I took so long updating...everything. I decided to update all my stories at once. Anyway, Chapter 4: Riot (Three Days Grace). Please give me some suggestions. I think this chapter sucks. If you think it sucks, please tell me.**

Chapter 4: Riot

Nothing happened right away. The day started out pretty normal. I headed to English an sat down next to Eddie. Jack sat in the next desk over, next to a tall, lean girl with long brown hair. She was wearing black leather gloves and a hairband with cat ears glued to it.

"What do you want Napier?" she asked disdainfully.

"Hello to you too Selina. Rose, Selina Kyle. Selina, Rose Donovan."

"Hi," I said. Selina glanced at me.

"Hi. You're a friend of Jack's?"

"Yeah, why?"

"How can you stand this clown?" she asked, glaring at Jack.

Jack rolled his eyes. "Go chase a mouse, cat girl." Eddie snickered.

"Oh, you think that's funny, Nashton?" she asked, fuming.

"Actually, yeah. I do."

Selina focused her glare on him. "Well, your riddles suck."

"Aw, that's cold."

I laughed. Everyone looked at me, apparently having forgotten I was there. I stared at them. "What?" I asked innocently.

Jack smirked. "Nothing Rosie. Nothing at all."

"Would you mind telling me what that means?"

"I would mind actually."

I sighed, waiting for the bell to ring. Why was it taking so long?  
•••

My next class was AP biology. None of my friends were in that class, not even Jonathan.  
I found an empty seat and sat down. A short girl with blonde hair came over and sat next to me. She was wearing a red T-shirt, a black skirt, and red tights with black diamonds on them.

"Hi," I said.

She turned and looked at me. "Hiya!" She had a sort of nasal voice, but it could've been a thick Jersy accent.

"I'm Rose," I said.

"You don't say?" she said smiling. "Well I'm Harleen, but everyone calls me Harley."

"Cool," I said, running a hand through my hair.

"You have such pretty hair," Harley said, a smile plastered on her face. "It'd be a shame for someone to... cut it all off. Wouldn't you say?"

"Excuse me?"

"You're excused," she said, sneering.

"What's your problem?" I asked.

"Just stay away from Jack, and there won't be one." She turned away just seconds before the bell rang. I blinked. Was she threatening me? This girl -who was at least a foot shorter then me, and probably twenty IQ points dumber- was threatening me.

"You've got to be kidding me," I muttered.  
•••

I spun the lock on my locker, pulled it open, and watched two textbooks tumble out onto my feet.

"Crap," I mumbled. I scooped up the books and dumped them back in my locker.

"It's the second day of school. How is your locker so full?" I turned and saw Jonathan standing behind me. He pushed his glasses further up his nose and I snickered.

"What?" he asked.

"Nothing. You just look like such a geek when you do that. It's funny."

He frowned. "I don't see anything funny about it," he muttered.

I laughed and patted him on the shoulder. "Well, I think it's funny. C'mon, it's time for lunch."

•••

I walked towards the main doors, adjusting the heavy backpack on my shoulders. The hallways were unusually quiet. I had only seen a few students on my way out.

"Rose!" someone shouted. I turned and saw Eddie standing a few feet behind me. "You have to see it! It's total chaos!"

I blinked. "What is?"

"I don't even know what to call it. It's fricking CRAZY!" He grabbed my wrist and led me to the lunchroom.

The scene that met my eyes was one of pure chaos. It seemed that anything that could possibly go wrong was. I stood, staring for what seemed like hours.

"Aw, geez- look!" Eddie said, pointing. I looked where he had pointed. My mouth fell open. There, in the center of the crowd, smiling happily, was Jack.


	5. Chapter 5: Down With The Sickness

**Chapter 5: Down With the Sickness (Disturbed. Warning: Explicit.) **

**Disclaimer: Own NOTHING except Rose. Don't own any of the stuff I reference either. Now on to the stupid chapter.**

I ran into the center of the room where Jack was standing. I grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him into the hallway.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" I hissed, glaring at him.

He grinned. "Introduce a little chaos into the equation and everything, uh, falls apart."

"Chaos? What are you talking about?"

"It's all about the anarchy, sweetheart," he said, licking his lips. "They're no better than I am. They just needed a little push."

I shook my head. "What are you _talking_ about?" I asked again.

He smirked. "Y'know, you're really somethin' Rosie. Catch ya on the flip side," he said before turning and running down the hall.

I shook my head again. What was _that_?

•••

Jack wasn't at school the next day. Neither Eddie nor Jonathan mentioned the little... event and I didn't either. It was a delicate subject and no one wanted to talk about it.

When Jack returned on Thursday, he didn't say anything to me or Eddie, but pulled his black hoodie over his face anytime he saw us.

I spotted him sitting alone during lunch and made my way over to him.

"Why have you been avoiding me?" I asked. "Usually you're always two feet behind me. What's wrong?"

He shrugged and lowered his head, not looking at me.

I'd had enough. I reached out and pulled at his hood, tugging it off easily.

"Shit!" he muttered, quickly trying to cover his face. But not before I had seen the dark bruise under his left eye.

"W-who did that-"

"Why'd you have to do that? Dammit," he said, standing up and yanking the hood over his head.

"I didn't mean to-"

"Shut your fucking mouth," he grumbled, walking away.

I started to follow him, but someone said, "I wouldn't do that if I were you."

I turned and saw Jonathan standing behind me.

"You guys have to stop sneaking up on me," I said, crossing my arms.

Jonathan frowned and didn't respond. Instead he said, "Despite his demeanor, Jack is probably more sensitive than you think."

"Sensitive? That kid is like...like... A gremlin!"

"Excuse me?" he asked, blinking slowly.

"You know that movie 'Gremlins'? They're these little creatures that cause chaos wherever they go. Jack is like a gremlin!"

Jonathan frowned again. Was that the only facial expression he could make?

"I suppose I see your point. He is quite chaotic... But I suspect there's something more to it."

"No, there isn't. According to him, 'It's all about the anarchy.' I don't think he cares about anything."

He shrugged. "Maybe not. But still...ah, never mind. I'm probably over analyzing this." He turned and waved over his shoulder at me. "See you." I waved back and made my way out of the lunchroom.

•••

I slammed the door shut and went up to my room, flopping down on my bed. Jack hadn't taken the bus with me and I wondered where he was.

I sighed and turned on my mp3 player. Paramore's "Misery Buisness" began and I mumbled the words to myself.

"...But I got him where I want him now..." I muttered, pulling my textbooks out of my backpack.

I tried to start my homework, but I just couldn't focus. I grabbed my cell phone off the black bedside table and scrolled through my contacts. I found the number I wanted and dialed it, listening to the ring.

"Hi, you've reached Maya's phone. I'm not here right now, so call back later. Mm'kay, bye!"

I sighed and hung up. Figures. Just before I'd moved, Maya, my best friend in the world, had started spending all her time with some guy. I buried my face in the pillows. I really did have no life.

•••

"So how was school today?" my mom asked, looking at me over her plate.

"Fine," I muttered.

She sighed. "What happened?"

"Nothin'."

"Rose, you can't keep your feelings bottled up inside. Tell me what happened."

I moved the food around on my plate. "I'm fine Mom."

She sighed again. "Fine. Forget I asked. But if you're not going to eat that, put it in a container."

I nodded and carried my plate into the kitchen.

When I had cleaned the dish, I climbed up the stairs leading to my room. I decided to check my phone again, just in case Maya had called back.

There were no recent calls showing, but I had a new text from a blocked number. My heart pounded in my chest as I read the small letters on the screen:

"Youll pay."


	6. Chapter 6: Papercut

**Sorry the chapters are so crappy lately. This one's mostly dialogue. Anway, here's chapter 6.**

**Chapter 6: Papercut (Linkin Park)**

I marched up to Jack the next day and held out my phone.

"What?" he asked, glancing at it.

"Did you send this?" I hissed, showing him the message.

He read it and shook his head. "I don't even have your number."

I glared at him and he shrugged. "Did ya piss anyone off lately?"

"Yeah, you," I retorted. He shrugged again.

"Well I dunno. Maybe it was a-"

Just then Harley bolted around the corner and practically tackled Jack.

"Hiya Mistah J!" she said in her nasal voice.

"Hi Harley," Jack mumbled from the floor. "Get off me." Harley looked offended but did as he said.

"Is this skank bothering you puddin'?" she asked, glaring at me.

"Skank? I'm not the one who just glomped him," I pointed out.

"Shut up. Harley, go away."

Harley pouted. "B-but-"

"Go."

She sighed pathetically and sulked off.

"What a bitch," I muttered.

Jack nodded. "I bet if you poked her she'd cry."

"What?"

"She's totally harmless. Making empty threats and stuff. Like the- Wait, give me your phone."  
I handed it to him and he started pressing buttons quickly. He then pulled out his own phone and pushed some more buttons.

"Huh," he muttered.

"What?"

"Well, I have good news and bad news. Which do you want first?"

"Good news."

"Okay, well, Harley sent the message," he said, handing the phone back.

"What's the bad news?" I asked.

"Um... Harley sent the message."

I groaned. "But I thought you said she was harmless."

"Yeah, but uh, she really hates you. And she's crazy. And if she can get your number without you knowing, then she can probably find out where you live."

I sighed. "Great. Just fabulous. Why does she like you anyway?"

Jack smirked. "What, and you don't?"

"In your dreams." He grinned and saluted me.

"I gotta go. Therapist appointment." He made a face and turned to leave. "Bye."

"Bye." He waved, then left.

•••

**Jack's POV**

Jack sat on the beige couch in the corner of the room. Ms. Arkham sat down in front of him, holding a clipboard and pen.

"Okay, Jack. So, why don't we talk about the little incedent that occurred a few days ago. Would you like to explain what you were feeling at the time?"

Jack stared blankly at her. "No."

She nodded and took down some notes. "Had you been under the influence of any illegal substances?"

He just stared at her. "How's your life, huh Elizabeth? Ever get tired of the child psychiatry?"

She blinked. "We're not here to talk about me, Jack. We're here to talk about your little schemes and riots."

He grinned. "I don't _scheme_, Elizabeth. It all just falls into place."

She scribbled something on her clipboard. "What do you mean?"

"I don't expect you to understand, 'doctor'. But, uh, you can't stop the anarchy. And Gotham _will_ burn." With that, he threw back his head and laughed.


	7. Chapter 7: No Title

Christmas soon arrived, and all anyone could talk about was what they were going to get and who they would kiss under the mistletoe.

Selina ambushed me before class, holding out a rectangular box wrapped in red paper. "What's this?" I asked.

"An early Christmas present. It's for the dance."

I blinked stupidly. "What dance?"

Selina rolled her eyes. "The winter formal dummy. Don't you have a date?"

I shook my head. "Do you?"

She grinned. "Eddie's taking me," she said.

"Oh."

She frowned. "I bet Jack would take you if you asked. You're not bad looking and he doesn't seem to hate you."

I blushed furiously. "Thanks a lot," I muttered.

She smiled, batting her eyelashes. "Welcome!" she chimed, skipping away.

I shook my head and headed to first period, the gift wrapped box in my hands.

•••

"Whatcha got there?" Eddie asked, plunking his stuff down next to me.

"A Christmas present from Selina. She said it was for the dance."

"Open it," he said, shrugging.

I shook my head. "Class is gonna start soon. I'll open it at lunch." The bell rang soon after, proving my exact point.

•••

I tore the wrapping paper off and opened the box. When I saw what was inside, I groaned. Eddie just stared at it, his mouth slightly open. It was a silver, knee length, strapless dress. It was sparkly with a bow around the waist. And don't even get me started on the neckline…

"Who's is that?" I turned and saw Jack standing behind me, gawking at the dress.

"M-mine," I muttered, blushing furiously.

"…For what?"

"Some stupid dance Selina wants me to go to." I set the dress back in its box, not really wanting to look at it.

"Oh, the Winter Dance or something?"

"Yeah. I don't even _want_ to go!"

He shrugged. "Then don't."

Eddie snickered. "Maybe she's waiting for someone to ask her. You know how girls are."

I scowled, blushing redder than a tomato. "No I'm not. I just don't want to disappoint Selina."

Jack smirked. "Whatever you say sweetheart." He started to walk away, then turned and whispered in my ear, "I liked the dress though."

•••

I stood in front of the grimy bathroom mirror, trying to rid the obvious blush from my cheeks. Selina burst through the door just as I decided it was a lost cause.

"Hi hi!" she said, grinning from ear to ear.

"Hey… How did you know I was in here?" I asked cautiously.

"I found you a date," she said, ignoring my question.

"Y-you did? Who?"

"Jack said he'd take you. He said he would so he didn't have to go with Harley. But it's still romantic!"

"Shut up!" I yelled. I suddenly covered my mouth when I realized how loud I'd been.

"Jeez, calm down. It's jut one date. You are gonna let me do your makeup," she ordered. Before I could open my mouth to respond, she skipped out of the bathroom.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8: Merry Frickin' Christmas **

**Merry (Late) Cheistmas/ Chanukah/ Kwanzaa/ anything you might celebrate. Song is: Merry Frickin' Christmas (Frickin' A). Sorry this chapter is kind of short and fluffy. I'm terrible at writing "romance," for lack of a better word.**

I stood in the bathroom, facing the sink. Selina was standing behind me, fixing my hair. She was wearing a tight black dress with lace around the hem. Her black-gloved hands proceeded to pull my bright red hair into a loose bun with a few tendrils hanging down around my face.

When she finished, she pulled out a small cosmetics bag and spun me around to face her.

She applied mascara and eyeshadow first, then a bit of blush, brushing lightly at my cheeks. She rummaged through her bag, finally pulling out a tube of lipstick. She applied it to my lips slowly. She admired her handiwork, then turned me to face the mirror. I gasped. I actually looked… pretty. My eyes stood out, like two sapphires, my lashes looked long and thick, and my lips were ruby red. My normally pale face was tinged with pink around my cheeks, so slight it looked like a natural blush.

"Wow… Selina. How did you…"

"I'm not going to divulge my secrets," she said, smiling. "C'mon, Eddie's going to pick us up soon. Jack's going to meet us there." She handed me a pair of silver flats. "Here."

"What are these for?"

"I can't have you wearing those ratty old boots. Put them on." I did as she said, glancing at my reflection again. I really didn't look half bad.

•••

As promised, Jack was waiting for us at the school. He was leaning against a wall, playing a game on his phone. When he spotted us, he grinned and slipped the phone into his jacket… The jacket that went with the suit he was wearing. When his gaze landed on me though, his grin faltered. He just stared at me for a moment, then smirked. He adjusted his purple tie and walked over to us.

"Hey Eddie," he said. "Girls," he added, giving a mock bow. Selina giggled and I rolled my eyes.

"Someone add pineapple and honey, he's a total ham," I said sarcastically. **(A/N: It's something we say in my theater class.) **

He laughed. "You know you love it."

Eddie took Selina's arm and Jack followed suit, linking his arm through mine. "Shall we ladies?" Eddie said, leading Selina into the building.

"C'mon," Jack said, pulling me along.

•••

As soon as we entered the building, I got really nervous. I didn't like crowds much, and I realized I had no idea how to dance. We mostly hung around with Selina and Eddie **(A/N:Seddie! Ahem, sorry.)**,occasionally greeting the people we knew. Jack seemed oddly nervous. He was always so at ease.

Eventually "A Thousand Years" by Christina Perri (A/N: I know, random choice for a slow song) began to play. Selina grabbed Eddie's hand and dragged him towards the center of the room.

"You _will_ dance with me," she commanded. He waved nervously at us, the they disappeared into the crowd.

I shuffled my feet uneasily. Jack ran a hand through his curly hair. "Let's go outside," he said suddenly. "I don't dance."

We pushed through the crowd and exited the building. He leaned against the wall and I stood next to him, my arms folded over my chest self consciously.

He glanced at me. "You look nice," he muttered.

"Thanks," I said quietly, blushing. He shrugged, tapping his foot on the ground. "Jack?"

"Hm?"

"Why'd you um… offer to take me to the dance?"

He shrugged, becoming increasingly interested in his shoes. "So I wouldn't have to go with Harley?" he said, but it came out more like a question than a statement.

"Oh," I murmured, slightly disappointed. He leaned his head back, staring up at the sky. Suddenly, he looked down at me, curled his arm around my waist-

And kissed me.

I couldn't move. I wasn't quite sure that I wanted to, but nevertheless I couldn't. He tightened his grip on my waist, his hand on the small of my back. I just stood there for who knows how long, letting him kiss me.

I heard Eddie whistle and I jerked my head back. He and Selina were standing a few feet away, staring at us.

Selina finally squealed and ran over to hug me. "Ooh, you guys make such a cute couple! Now we can all double date! Oh, I get to plan your wedding. Oh and Rose-"

"Selina, shut up," Jack said quietly, licking his lips.

"But it's just so-"

"Damn it, I said shut up!" he shouted. I froze. I had never seen him like this before, not even when I had seen his black eye.

"Calm down," Eddie mumbled.

Jack glared at him. "I'm going home," he muttered angrily. He turned and walked down street, shoving his hands into his pockets.

•••

Eddie dropped me off at my house first. I walked up to the door and looked for the spare key under the mat. Then I noticed something. Jack was sitting outside of his house, listening to his iPod. He had changed out of his suit and was wearing jeans and a long sleeved shirt.

"Whatcha listening to?" I asked.

"Korn," he answered, pulling out one of his earbuds.

I sat down next to him. "Why're you out here?" I asked.

"I dunno. Nowhere better to go."

I shivered. "It's cold out here. Wanna come inside?"

He shook his head. "Can't. My mother'll be home soon and I'm supposed to let her in if she's drunk."

"Oh…" I said, not really sure how I should react.

"Winter break starts tomorrow. Wanna hang out or something?" he asked awkwardly.

I smiled. "Yeah. I'd like that."

**Woohoo! A late Christmas chapter! Not articularly proud of it, but at least I finally got it published. I hope you all had a lovely holiday. And a happy new years!**


	9. Chapter 9: You're Going Down

**Chapter 9: You're Going Down (Sick Puppies)**

**HARLEY'S POV**

"Snip, snip, snip," Harley sang quietly, hacking away at the photographs on front of her. She set down and admired her handiwork. She had cut the faces out of tons of pictures of Rose, having scratched the faces out of another twenty the day before.

Harley absentmindedly traced the tip of the scissors across the floor, frowning. She had seen Jack with Rose on the night of the dumb dance and she hadn't been happy. She had imagined him finally asking _her_ to go with him, walking her home, and then kissing _her_, not Rose. But nothing ever worked out for her.

Harley threw the scissors in disgust, impaling a nearby pillow. She stood up abruptly, turning towards her mirror. "Why doesn't he love meeee?" She whined, stomping her feet angrily.

There was a knock at her door. "Harleen? Everything okay in there?" It was her mother.

She quickly kicked the mangled pictures under her bed, hiding the scissors as well. "I'm fine! Just getting ready for bed!" She scrambled to get a pair of sweatpants just as the door swung open. "Hiii Mom," she said, flipping the pillow over to hide the stuffing oozing out.

"Are you sure you're alright sweetie?" She asked, looking around the room suspiciously.

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine. Better than fine, great actually! But I'm reeeally tired," she added, faking a yawn. "I was just about to get changed."

"Okay… But be quieter, you woke Tommy."

She scoffed quietly. Her little brother would wake up at the drop of a hat. But she smiled sweetly and said, "I will."

As soon as her mother closed the door she turned and kicked the wall that separated her room from Tommy's. She smiled darkly when she heard his high pitched screams.

**Whoo, I haven't written anything in a while. What with work and school I haven't really had time. So here's a short little chapter, just to get me back into the story. I promise I'll try to update again soon, with a longer chapter. Byeee!**


	10. Chapter 10: Hot 'n' Cold

**Chapter 10: Hot 'n' Cold (Katy Perry)**

As promised, I did see Jack over the break. We'd meet up somewhere by the bus stop and then just walk aimlessly from there. He always had to run off around the same time though, usually offering a vague excuse for why he had to leave. I didn't mind, so I didn't push the matter. It didn't seem particularly important.

It was the first day back to school and I could hardly wait to leave this hellhole.

As soon as I finished breakfast, grabbed my jacket and rushed out the door. I couldn't be in that house any longer, with my mom arguing with my dad over the phone. I just needed to get out.

When I got to the bus stop, Jack was already there, pacing along the side of the road a few yards away. His head was down and his hair- which had grown a bit- was falling over his eyes.

"Hey," I said when I reached him.

"Hi," he muttered, not looking at me. I could just barely see that his lip was split and bleeding a little.

"What happened to your-"

"Don't," he snapped. "Just… leave me alone."

I glared at him. "You don't get to tell me what to do."

He looked up at me, tilting his head to the side. "Well I just did, princess. What're you gonna do? _Hit_ me?" He laughed at that last bit, his eyes cold. "Someone already beat ya to it."

"Why're you being such a dick?" I spat at him. "I thought we were friends."

"Sorry if I gave you the wrong idea, Rosie. But I don't _need_ friends." And with that he sat down on a bench and refused to speak to me.

During first period I sat as far away from Jack as humanly possible. Eddie looked at me questioningly from across the room, but I just shook my head. I ended up near Jonathan, who was arguing with a short blonde boy.

"…But how can you hate _Alice In Wonderland_?" I overheard the blonde boy ask, sounding appalled.

"It's a ridiculous, childish story, Jervis. I mean, Alice is just a dimwitted child that will do anything a _label_ tells her to, the Red Queen is just a controlling lunatic, and the whole premise is idiotic." Jonathan took his glasses off and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I don't see why you're so adamant about this."

"Because it's not true! And anyway, what about you and that Headless Huntsman story. You can't say_ that_ isn't ridiculous and stupid."

"_Horseman_. Headless _Horseman_. And that's a completely different matter," Jonathan snapped, drumming his fingers on the desk.

"Hypocrite," Jervis muttered, glaring at his feet.

I suppressed a laugh. I knew I shouldn't have been listening, but their little debate was entertaining.

The bell rang and I took out my notebook and pen. I wasn't really listening to what the teacher was saying. It was only history after all. I started doodling absently, scribbling lines and contours until they sort of came together. I had apparently been drawing a top hat, similar to the one from _Alice's Adventures In Wonderland_. I guess now I had little bits of that story just floating around in my head. I sighed, scribbling it out. When was this class going to end?

"Alice!" I heard from down the hall. I had just enough time to turn around before none other than little Jervis collided with me. He knocked us both off our feet, causing me to drop all the stuff I was carrying.

"O-oh I'm s-sorry. I thought you were someone else," he mumbled sheepishly. He began gathering the items he had dropped, including none other than a copy of _Alice's Adventures In Wonderland_. I started fumbling for my notebooks as well, handing anything that I assumed was his.

"Thanks…" he said, hurrying to stand up. I stood up as well, realizing just how short he actually was. He couldn't have been more than five feet tall, compared to my 5'6".

"Uh, I'm Rose," I said, shifting my weight to my left foot.

"Jervis," he said, his eyes darting around. "Sorry I ran into you, it was stupid of me." The first bell rang and he jumped. "Crap, I have to go. It was nice meeting you!" He darted off, almost tripping over himself a few times.

"Can I sit here?"

I looked up. Jack was standing before me, holding his backpack in one hand and a pencil in the other.

"Why should I let you?" I snapped, glaring at him. "We're not friends."

He rolled his eyes. "Oh get over it princess. Do you really wanna sit here alone?"

"I like being alone," I sneered at him. "Now leave."

"'You don't get to tell me what to do'," he mocked, setting down his bag. He twirled the pencil between his fingers. "How about a magic trick, huh Rosie?"

"Are you gonna make yourself disappear?"

"Not a chance. But check this out." He held the pencil between his hands, the eraser against one palm an the lead against the other. He pushed his hands together until they were flat against each other, opening his hands to reveal that the pencil had in fact disappeared.

"How did you do that?" I asked in wonder.

"Ah-ah-ah," he said, smirking. "A magician _never_ reveals his secrets."

* * *

**I'm not sure if I'm happy with the way this turned out… oh well. The next chapter will be more exciting. I've got some major plot points up my sleeve. Kinda. Also thanks to anyone who reviewed or favorited my story. I know I haven't been very active lately. Okay, byeee!**


End file.
